Christmas tips

1. Take Your Camera! Ok, this is a given, but I have to include it because I forget mine sometimes! :)
2. Be sure to get pictures of the unnoticable things such as, present wrapping, dinner being cooked, close up of the food and tree. kids fighting with each other - you get the idea. This is what makes memories last.
3. Decide before hand on a family portrait. ( standing-sitting?)
4. Be sure to get candid photos of family members. Look for opportunities of expressions- excitement, eagerness, closeness etc...
5. Shoot in continuous mode while the presents are being opened.
6. Fill your frame with your subject.
7.  Play around with your Aperture mode. For example when taking shots of a Christmas decoration on the tree,  try a large aperture (a small number like f/2.8) to make the background out of focus.

Taking pictures of outdoor Christmas lights

The best time to take outdoor pictures of Christmas lights is between sunset and full dark. You will have about a 10-15 minute window of opportunity. Practice with and without a flash. using a tripod would be a great idea but if not, keep your camera as still as possible. When possible and for best effect, use the sky as your backdrop.

Those Candid shots!

1. Don't use your flash!! The quickest way to kill a moment is the sudden burst of light from a camera. Immediate results will be poise and smile. UGh!

2. Think about where you need to be to get the best shots. This can be tricky. Especially shen everyone turns and all you see is the back of everyone's head. Time to move!

3. Get pic's of people doing things. (2)

4. Try to catch people interacting with one another. Conversations with an unawareness of you.

5. Change your point of view.

Background

1. Reduce Distractions - keep the background simple

 

 2. Use your depth of field and blur it out

3. Keep the background color the same/similar

 

4. Crop

 



Student Work

Here's some samples of

each student's work this semester.

 

You all are sooooo talented! I see examples of everything we have discussed and that is very encouraging! I have identified some of the concepts in your pictures that we have covered in our class. Keep up the good work!

                                                          Lily's photography



Color Management/thirds/abstract

 



Lighting/thirds/framing

Color management/curves/ abstract

 



                                             Katie's photography

Thirds/ get closer/aperture

get closer/ thirds/ abstract

depth of field/ thirds/ get closer

depth of field/ get closer/thirds 

 

Laura's Photography

 

 

leading lines/perspective

 

symmetry/diagonal/abstract

 

depth of field/leading lines

                                                           Danielle's Photography

symmetry/silhouettes/framing

 get closer/depth of field

 get closer/thirds

 

Myria's Photography

 

lighting/thirds

exploring photoshop/curves

lighting 

 

 

Bobby's Photography

 

silky waterfalls

 



Curves/lighting/thirds/ reflections/silhouettes/depth of field

rule of thirds/depth of field/framing

 

 

Allison's Photography

 

 rule of thirds

 

rule of thirds/ natural light/crop

rule of thirds/ fill your frame

 

Carter's Photography

reflections

feet and hands/off center

 

 

 fill your frame

 

Justin's Photography

 

angles/thirds/lighting

reflections/thirds

natural light/ color management/Aperture

 

 

 

Hope you all are having a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Be sure to snap some great memory shots!

Shutterspeed tips

Shutter Speed is the amount of time that the shutter is open.To freeze a shot, you’ll want to choose a faster shutter speed. If you want your movement to blur, you’ll choose a slower shutter speed.

Changing your shutterspeed can also effect your ISO and depth of field (aperture) so you may need to change those as well.

Using your manual mode is a good way to learn how.  ISO, aperture and shutter speed work together.

Example: If you speed up your shutter speed  from 1/125th to 1/250th)  this will allow half as much light into your camera. To compensate for this you will need to increase your aperture  from f16 to f11. You could also move the the ISO from 100 to ISO 400.


Slower shutter speeds can create awesome effects. Start at1/10. (This is a good opportunity to experiment with a tri-pod.)

IDEA:

WATERFALLS
Tips for waterfalls-
        1. Silky water effects- slow shutter speed
        2. Use a small aperture. Start with f16.
        3.. Scout out waterfalls and pick the right time. Late spring or early summer is a good time. A good time to also visit is on overcass (cloudy) days when the light is diffused or at sunrise or sunset.
        4.. Shoot at an angle instead of directly in front of the falls.
        5. Use your zoom.
        6.Include elements in the foreground such as rocks, flowers etc...
        7. If you’re losing detail in shadows, then try a slower shutter speed and take another shot. And, if you’re losing detail in highlights, then try a faster shutter speed.
        8. Take a shot then review it and correct.